Did You Know That Norway Is the Highest Spending Country on Dog Food?

We wrote about Norway being the 5th biggest chocolate consumer in the world. But did you know that Norwegians take 1st place as highest spenders on dog food worldwide? The global pet food industry is estimated to be worth $74,8 billion in 2017 and continues to grew annually by 4%. Dog food retailers should keep an eye on global trends and adjust their marketing strategy appropriately. By analyzing relevant data, we will explain which factors influence increased spending on dog food in Norway.

Top 5 Highest Dog Food Spending Countries

With the help of research data from Euromonitor, we created a chart of the top 5 highest dog food spending countries. Don’t confuse the data with “biggest dog food spending countries”. The chart shows which consumers are ready to spend most on their pup, and not which countries spend most on dog food in total.

Source: GFluence

Norway takes a definite lead, where a dog owner spends an average of $53 a month per dog. Have you noticed that the only non-European country in the top 5 selection is Australia? Europe is the leading continent in highest dog food spending. Countries of the European Union in average spent $15 for dog food a month per dog. To compare – in US, the country with the highest dog population, dog owners only spend $14.

Why Are Norwegians Spending So Much on Dog Food?

1. High Cost of Living

Norway ranks 4th in the world in the Cost of Living Index. This means everything is much more expensive, including dog food. But higher living costs don’t necessarily mean worse living standards. Norway has one of the best living standards in Europe. The country has a low unemployment rate and the salaries are high. This enables people to afford to buy dog food and not save on their pets’ nutrition.

2. Dog Food Conscious

Latest trends in the dog food industry are all about “health and wellness”. Dog owners are becoming more conscious about what they are feeding their pups. There are numerous reports on the relationship between toxins found in dog food and dogs’ health. Beacause of this, dog owners are switching to organic pet food.

The Norwegian pet food industry is experiencing a small revolution. Organic dog food producers are increasing their local sales share. Norwegian manufacturers like Vom og Hundemat and Kaisa promise nutritious dog food developed from local ingredients. The popularity of natural and healthy local pup chow is recorded on social media #VomOgHundemat:

Organic dog food brands are more expensive. They also come in meal-sized packs instead of giant sacks. This is a trend know in the pet food industry as “premiumization“. Dog owners are looking for high quality products to feed their pets. Beacause prices of sacks are higher and the packaging is smaller, the Norwegian consumer spends more.

According to the Norwegian Kennel Club, Norwegian dog breeds are an important part of national cultural heritage. This explains why Norwegians take extra care when choosing and buying food for their pups.

What Does This Mean for Marketers?

As Norway continues to lead the world in its spending on dog food costs, it’s only natural to wonder what all this means from marketing point of view. The global dog food industry faces a number of exciting trends as leading dog food brands update their strategies for the digital era. A successful pet food marketing strategy will need to capitalize on these shifts in order to excel in the countries with the highest food standards.

Most expensive dog food brands have already released product lines into the burgeoning organic pet food market. It’s only natural that pet parents will want to ensure their loved ones are eating as cleanly as the rest of the family, and many European dog food brands have placed a renewed focus on ingredient quality. Micro-targeting is also important — to be seen as the best dog food in Europe, brands are racing to offer custom-tailored foods to every variety of pet. Owners can buy unique food types for nearly every breed, size, activity level, fur type and more.

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